Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1887-06-15
For the Evening Capital.
GIVE Us A NEW CHARTER.
Some OF the Evils Under Which we
Labor

Mn EDITOR You are doing a
good work, in the agitation of the
separation Of the city from the coun-
ty and the Kidding of our city from
this enormous tax we are burdened
with; and ! am glad to say the in
fluence of your paper is being felt
in this community. There is no
doubt but that the high taxes have
ruined the value of real estate In
this city. No one can sell his prop
erty for its assessment to day.
A gentleman from Washington
was here on Saturday to sell val
liable property he owns here in one
of the best and most desirable loca-
tions in our city-but the high taxes
and other incidental expenses on
the property, prevented him from
dlsposing of it at anything like a
fair price.
The Building and Loan Associa-
tion of this city have endeayored to
sell property that they held mort
gage on, but in every instance have
to buy it in to save themselves the
prices offered not covering the mort
cages.
What is the cause, or whose fault
is it? This city has an income Of
over half a million of dollars in bus
mess per year. The fault lies in
the old charter giving the City
Councils unlimited power to spend
all the money they please to pay
themselves what salaries they want;
and the main fault is in the tax
payers allowing the city be be run
by partisan politicians-instead of
by people who bear the burdens.
This city is not one mile square.
The Republican Council in four
years collected and expen
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 1872 300
The Democratic Council in
the last four years have col
lected and expended. .......93, 900
Making total in s years of 1886. 500
| tone hundred md eiyhty-sic Musand
dollars az eight gears, J and what has
the city got to show for all this
large expenditure Of money-enough
to run the city and pave and sewer
every street in it from base to cir
conference.
The taxpayers should meet in
mass-meeting and demand new
charter which should limit the City
Council to levy special tax for the
Fire, Police and all departments of
the city government, and the mon
ely should be used for no other pur-
poses; there should be butone coun-
Gilman from each ward, whose sal
airy should not exceed $50 per an
mum; clerk at a salary Of 5000; a
collector and treasurer at salary
of 81, 600, who shall issue and re-
ceive all moneys from licenses, &c. !;
dispense with city counsellor and
city commissioner. Let the city
employ lawyer when needed aseyery
body else does, and make the police
see to keeping the streets in order,
and let the street cleaning be put
out by contract. The idea of a city
not one mile square, paying out sal
aries to officers of SIS, 700 per an
mum, aud for street cleaning 81,
600-making total of $7,300-is
out of all reason. If any special
improvements are needed let spe-
cial levy be made for it. Let the
police be appointed for life or for
good behaviour, for they should be
men that would do their duty with
out fear, favor or partiality. Let
the charter be such that the tax
payer shall govern the council-and
not the council the tax payer.
Let all work the city has to do be
done upon business principles and
put out by contract--and do away
with this party patronage, or charge
as-you-please business.
Pay the Mayor a salary Of 5000
per anuum-as the duties are merely
formal and no labor attached to
them; or make it an office of honor
and trust, as it was formerly.
Take the city of Hagerstown for
instance, which is nearly two miles
square, with nine factories, four
banks, and population of over
5000, with its water-works and gas
works, has only cost 500, 600 to run
it in the last nine years.
If the taxpayer will interest
himself and take hold of this mat
ter | am sure there will be no trou-
bic in securing new charter for
our city, and every man that owns